Hidden Secrets
by Silverstrider
Summary: What if Harry never stumbled upon Malfoy in the bathroom? In this story Hermione finds him and decides on a way that Drace can escape Voldemorts impossible task: By faking his own death. After spending time with him, Hermione starts to see the good in him
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The corridor was silent as Hermione hurried down towards the Great Hall, her footsteps echoing quietly. It had been a long day. She had had runes, charms

and then double potions, in which Snape had completely ignored her Fire resistance potion, instead choosing to humiliate Ron on his Anti-venom potion.

Unfortunately, his potion had taken on a pale green colour, despite the textbooks orange appearance. On top of all that, Harry had been becoming

increasingly obsessed with Malfoy, and with his written-in copy of Advanced Potion Making, one which had ensured that he had finished his potion only five

minutes after she had completed hers. It was all very frustrating.

Hermione wished that she could talk to Harry now about it, but she was completely alone. She was returning from Professor Vector's office, after being

reassured by him that her Arithmancy essay had been 'absolutely perfect'. She was just hoping that Harry and Ron would be waiting for her in the Great Hall,

when a sound coming from the male bathroom on her left made her pause. It almost sounded like someone was crying.

'It must be a first year' Hermione thought. She herself had found her transition to Hogwarts hard, not only because she missed her family and her friends,

but because she didn't know anything about the wizarding world before she entered it. A muggle born.

There was no choice in her mind whether it would be a good idea or not to make sure that he was okay. After all, it was her job as a prefect to look after her

fellow students. Hermione slowly walked over to the toilet door, and was about to push it open when a voice inside spoke,

"Don't" crooned the voice. It was very familiar, but Hermione couldn't put her finger on it. It sounded like girls voice...

"Don't," said the voice, "tell me what's wrong...I can help you..."

Hermione realized with a start that the voice belonged to Moaning Myrtle, although Hermione had never heard her sounds so calm. The shock of this  
>discovery was nothing compared to when He spoke though.<p>

"No one can help me" he said in a voice that she had never heard him talk in, one that shook and was distorted by his heavy breathing.

"I can't do it...I can't...it won't work...and unless I do it soon...he says he'll kill me." Malfoy gasped, his very inhale quivering with emotion.

Hermione stood rooted to the floor outside the bathroom, thoughts flying around her head. She knew that Malfoy would kill her if he knew that she was

listening, but she couldn't make herself walk away. This meant that Harry was right, he was right all along. Malfoy was working for Voldemort, as the only

person that could kill Draco Malfoy without fearing the wrath of two Death Eaters was indeed, Voldemort himself.

"What are you trying to do...I can help you..." Myrtle crooned again.

"YOU CANT HELP ME!" shouted Malfoy suddenly, making Hermione jump. His voice sounded hoarse and rough.

"I'm only trying to help!" cried Myrtle, and with a girly sob, Hermione heard her dive into one of the toilets. Then there was silent's.

' Is that all?' Hermione wondered, pressing her ear to the crack of the door. Wait, he was saying something! She quietly opened the door a notch, and

positioned her ear as close as she dared, and caught him mid sentence.

"..kill us all...if they didn't...I mean they wouldn't...give me up...he'll kill-

"Miss Granger, I was hoping I'd catch you!"

Hermione gasped and whirled around to see Professor Vector striding towards her.

"I forgot to ask if I could use your essay as an example for my other six year class. Needless to say, most of their papers were nowhere near as good as

yours, so I thought that..."

Hermione was only half listening to him, the other half wondering what Malfoy was thinking.

Did he know that she'd heard the whole conversation? Surely not, only that she had been passing. But it must be on his mind-

"So, is that okay?" Professor Vector said, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, that's fine, I don't mind" she said as normally as possible, but even to her it was unusual high.

"Are you feeling all right, Miss Granger? You look a bit pale." Professor Vector peered at her through his dusty glasses, and Hermione wished that he could

just leave her alone, a first for her.

"You know, I don't think I do. I might quickly go up to the Hospital Wing. Thank you." She quickly turned and walked as fast as she could without running,

hardly hearing Professor Vector wish her good health before she had rounded the corner and was running as fast as she could towards the Gryffindor

Common Room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

Hermione was out of breath when she finally pushed open the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room. It was getting dark, and already the light that filtered through the large windows weren't enough to eliminate the entire room. The fire had been lit, and the old oil lamps that hung on the walls offered a comforting golden glow, making the space appear large and welcoming.  
>She was pleased to see that the room was mostly empty, apart from a few second years who were playing Exploding Snap in the corner, and a dark haired girl who was reading a book with the title 'Rare types of magical fungi &amp; where to find them'.<br>Hermione quickly scanned for Ron and Harry, and spotted them in front of the fire, leaning against their favourite armchairs engaged in what looked like a fierce game of Wizard Chess. She made her way over and gently pushed Ron out of the way with her leg, falling into the seat that he had been resting against not so long ago. After an annoyed look on his part, he shuffled around to face the chessboard. She was about to start telling them both about what she had overheard when Ron beat her to it.  
>"We waited in the Great Hall for you for a bit, but you were taking ages, so we left. Sorry" He didn't sound the slightest bit sorry at all, instead eyed the board with concentration. Suddenly he grinned and announced with triumph "Queen to A4. That's checkmate Harry"<br>Hermione felt a twinge of annoyance at Ron as she watched his chess piece tackle Harry's pawn, before it started beating the pawn with its sword.  
>"I took so long Ronald, because I ran into Malfoy on my way back from Professor Vector's office." she said haughtily, waiting for their reaction. Unsurprisingly, Harry was the one that sat up first at the sound of Malfoy's name.<br>"What happened" asked Harry quickly.  
>With that, Hermione launched into her story, explaining everything that had happened up until she had been interrupted by her Professor.<br>"So, wait, Malfoy was crying?" crowed Ron, with unmistakable glee, "Actually cryin-"  
>"That's what he's been doing in the Room of Requirement!" interrupted Harry excitedly. "And you know what this means don't you? It means that he's definitely working for Voldemort. I told-"<br>"We know, you were right" groaned Ron, "but it doesn't really matter now does it? One word to Dumbledore and he'll be shipped off to Azkaban, wont he."  
>"Ron, that's a horrible thing to say!" Hermione cried, "even if he is working for...Voldemort." she shuddered at the name, "I mean, it's not like he has much of a choice in the matter does he?"<br>There was silence after she said this, with only the sound of the laughing second years and Crookshanks as he jumped onto Hermione's lap, purring.  
>"Dumbledore will deal with it" said Ron after a period of time. "He'll probably even find out what Malfoy's mission is..."<br>"But Dumbledore's not here" Harry said automatically. "He's gone out again. I don't know when he's coming back either, he didn't me."  
>"We would need somewhere for he could hide..." Hermione trailed off, her thoughts on Malfoy.<br>Ron looked confused, but Harry answered her. "You can't hide in Hogwarts, someone would find you." His eyes drifted to his pocket in which the Marauders Map was tucked safely.  
>"Well, we couldn't get him out of Hogwarts, he would be seen, and-"<br>"Wait a second, are you actually talking about _helping_ Malfoy!" Ron exclaimed loudly, finally catching on. After receiving a curious look from the girl reading, he lowered his voice and continued. "I mean, seriously? That git has never done anything for us, has he? And I can tell you now, if our places were reversed, he wouldn't do a bloody thing to help us out! Hermione, think of all the stupid names that he's called you. You would help him after that?"  
>Hermione didn't say anything, instead surveyed Ron's shocked expression before answering.<br>"True, he's done some awful things, and he really is a horrible person, but I don't think that anyone deserves to be killed."  
>Ron didn't say anything, but Harry looked at her and gently said "Herm, I know that you don't like it, but when Dumbledore comes back, I'll tell him everything. None of the other teachers will believe us and until then I'll keep watching him on the Map. No matter how powerful Voldemort is, he can't kill him while he's at Hogwarts." He paused before saying lightly, "Now, shouldn't you be worrying about that Essay that Snape gave us on the uses of Unicorn Horn? It's due in next week, and you don't want to get the reputation as a slacker."<br>Hermione nodded, and Harry relaxed slightly. But although she appreciated Harry's speech, she had the nagging feeling that he was more interested in finding out what Malfoy's mission was then worrying about Malfoy's health.  
>Hermione stayed with them for another 10 minutes, before excusing herself for bed. As she walked up the flight of stairs that led to her dormitory, she couldn't stop thinking about how Malfoy's voice had sounded, so defeated and afraid. Completely different in tone to when he usually talking to her. The Malfoy in her head followed her as she got ready for bed, and then that night, pierced her dreams with his trembling voice. <p>


	3. Chapter 3

They didn't talk about Malfoy in the morning, and Hermione got the impression that the boys each had different ideas on what she had heard in the bathroom. Hermione however couldn't help thinking about it. She found herself thinking of ways to help the blonde Slytherin. And the more she thought about it, the more that she noticed the changes in Malfoy. He was pale, more than usual, and he had lost weight. His eyes had a hollowed look, a look that is associated with the very sick, and his blonde hair was dull. His typical strut was replaced with a quite tread, as if he wanted to blend in as much as possible.  
>He was quite in class, and no longer sneered when Neville spoiled a potion in Snape's class.<br>Overall, he looked like a completely different person, and Hermione didn't understand how nobody seemed to have noticed.  
>It was a week after the bathroom incident, when Hermione found herself walking back from the library alone. Unbeknownst to anyone, she had been researching Ellen Prince, a past Hogwarts student, in the hope that she had discovered the identity of the Half Blood Prince. She was feeling very smug, as she was sure that she had finally found the unknown prince, when she saw someone out the corner of her eye. She mind racing, she reached for her wand, but wasn't fast enough.<br>"_Expelliarmus_!"  
>Her wand jumping out of her hand and flew down the corridor, landing under the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, making a clatter as it hit the floor before coming to rest against the wall. Hermione sprinted to retrieve it when she heard another cry. She ducked and an orange light went spinning over her left shoulder. She quickly recovered, and was a only few meters from her wand when he shouted an alternative spell, one she couldn't quite make out, and suddenly she was pinned to the wall behind the tapestry. Her right foot was only a few centimeters from where her wand lay, and she tried to force it towards the wand, but the spell held, trapping her against the cold blocks. She heard his footsteps approach, and then Malfoy was standing in front of her, looking more ghost than human.<br>Hermione felt a tingle of fear race down her spine. 'He knows,' she thought, 'but what was he going to do? He couldn't hurt me at Hogwarts, the teachers would find out.' But a nagging voice in her head said that they out of sight, in deserted corridor…  
>Malfoy was silent as he surveyed her. She noticed that the fire that used to light up his eyes was gone, leaving them empty and dark. Suddenly, he spoke.<br>"Tell me what you heard last week."  
>He said it quietly, but Hermione heard the demand under it. He wasn't giving her a choice.<br>"I don't know what you're talking about," She said stiffly, "and I suggest that you let me down before someone see's us."  
>Malfoy made no move to release her, instead studied her face for a long time.<br>"You know what I'm talking about, don't pretend otherwise. Or do I have to spell it out, Granger?" his voice was the scariest part, it held no emotion. She would have thought that he would be more aggressive, maybe use more profanity.  
>Hermione didn't reply to him, thinking quickly. This corridor wasn't usually very busy, but they had been there for at least five minutes, surely someone would have to pass through soon…<br>Malfoy took a step closer.  
>"Tell me what heard" he repeated, slowly pointing his wand at her face. It was then that Hermione started to really worry.<br>"I have no idea what you are talking about, now let me go!" She this as loudly as she could without it being considered shouting. She hoped someone would hear and come investigate.  
>"I don't believe you" he said, moving his wand to point it directly at her left eye.<br>For what seemed like the first time in her life, Hermione didn't know what to do. If she didn't tell him there was a chance that he was serious and he would curse her irreversibly. But if she did tell him, he might curse her anyway…  
>"I heard Myrtle say that she was only trying to help, and then someone muttering. I didn't even know that it was you in the bathroom!" her voice rose inconvincibly at the end, and Hermione hated herself for not being a more accomplished liar.<br>"Malfoy, listen to me," her voice was pleading, "I know you've always hated me because I had muggle parents, but I'm not that different to you. Muggle borns are the same as every other witch and wizard. And I know that Voldemort will kil-"She stopped, realizing that she had said too much. Malfoy had a hard express, and she knew that he was deciding what to do with her.  
>"Yes, I know that Voldemor t will kill you unless you do something, but I can help you! I can make sure that he won't be able to kill you or your family! Please believe me when I say this because you know that I'm always right" This came out in a rush, and Hermione groaned internally. He wasn't going to listen to her, this was Malfoy.<br>He was quite a bit taller than her, and she had to strain her neck against her bonds to keep his face in view. His eyes had gone out of focus, and were staring at the wall above her. He didn't say anything, but Hermione could see him clenching and unclenching his jaw.  
>After a few moments of silence, Hermione couldn't stop herself,<br>"Malf…Draco, are you…okay?"  
>His eyes flashed to her, his bright blue eyes latching onto her deep brown ones. She felt like if she didn't look away, she would be stuck like that forever, but no matter how hard she tried, the idea of looking away seemed terrible and unimaginable.<br>"They would want me to kill you, you know?" He said it without blinking. Hermione swore that he would be able to feel her heart rate pick up.  
>"But it's too late….and I couldn't anyway.." His voice was so quiet, she wasn't even sure if it had been meant for her. If he hadn't been so close to her, she knew that she would have missed it. And it was then that she realized exactly how close he was. His body was inches away from her, and he was leaning into her face. If wasn't so much taller than her, they would be breathing on each other's face.<br>"You remind me of my ex-girlfriend. She had the same eyes as you" His eyes bore into her skull.  
>Hermione couldn't keep the shock off her face. Malfoy had had a girlfriend? When had that happened? And why was he talking about her now?<br>"Malfoy?" She whispered.  
>"He killed her when he found out she was muggle born. I didn't even know."<br>If Hermione had thought that this event couldn't get any more horrible, it just had. She felt dizzy, and thought that she might throw up, but the invisible chains still attached her too the wall.  
>"Malfoy…I'm so sorr-"<br>Before she could finish, he lent in to her, and whispered in her ear "If you tell anyone, and I mean anyone, about what you heard, even Potter and the Weasel , than you're whole family will be killed slowly."  
>The blood in her veins seemed to turn to ice, and a shiver went up her spine. She did not doubt his conviction. She knew that he was speaking the truth.<br>"Is that clear?" His eyes were back to looking at the brick.  
>"Yes" she said, trying to keep her trembling out of her voice. His eyes snapped to her again, before he turned and kicked her wand out from behind the tapestry. She had to try one more time.<br>"Malfoy, I know a way that you can stop this happening…"  
>He didn't say anything, instead, pointed his wand at her upper left arm and started to mutter under his breathe. Hermione felt a flash of pain and then Malfoy murmured "If the information that you overheard or what happened here today passes anybody's lips, than I will know about it."<br>And before she could make any kind of protest, Malfoy pointed to her hand and flicked his wrist. The pressure that held Hermione to the wall suddenly vanished, and she couldn't stop herself from sliding to the floor. Rubbing her arms where the constraints had held her, she looked up to see Malfoy striding down the corridor and around the corner.  
>Her mind buzzing, she stumbled to her feet and over to her wand, picking it up with trembling fingers.<br>A burning feeling help to clear her head, and she rolled up her sleeve until she found the three small black circles that had been tattooed on her arm, the evidence of the spell that Malfoy had left on her. 


End file.
